Archive: Around Town

New York Senator Mike Nozzolio helped celebrate Lansing Community Library (LCL) Charter Day Saturday.  Nozzolio was invited in thanks for bringing about $140,000 of funding to the library over the past decade.  Celebrations included a logo contest reception, 4H presentations and a thank-you to Nozzolio.

"I am so honored to be part of the team that helped rejuvenate this great facility," Nozzolio said.  "It began as a labor of love for so many. The enthusiasm of the community has been unwavering in support of this wonderful resource.  Libraries are our windows on the world."

3,836 Lansing residents have active library cards at LCL.  Over 26,000 items are in the library's collection, with over 60,000 items checked out last year.  35,000 people visited LCL last year.  LCL has been operating under a temporary charter since 2008.  It received its permanent charter from the NYS Board of Regents in November.  

Library Board Of Trustees President Emily Franco says Nozzolio has been integral in helping get the library started and supporting it continually throughout its history.  She says future projects include building repairs, including replacing leaky doors on the street side, and sealed windows.

"We definitely have plans for growth," she says.  "We're always managing our collection because it continues to grow.  We're trying to figure out how to have enough space.  We've made the stacks a little taller and we've moved some of the paperbacks around because we're trying to keep the collection growing."

Before the formal 'thank you' in the downstairs gallery room Nozzolio was shown the kids reading room, where LCL Librarian Susie Gutenberger presented him with thank you cards from Story Time kids, a copy of the Lansing Loves To Read cookbook, 'Dish It Up!' and a 'Baby's First Library Card.

Senator Mike Nozzolio receives thank you cards from Lansing kids and gifts from Librarian Susie Gutenberger

Gutenberger told him the cards were created to celebrate National Library Week by the five rural Tompkins County libraries, the Ithaca library and the Family Reading Partnership.  She said every baby born in Tompkins County will get their own library card.  The Family Reading Partnership gave each library a collection of 50 board books.  Gutenberger says that the money Nozzolio has funneled to the Lansing library has enabled it to raise other funds.

"He's given us about $140,000 over the last ten years," Gutenberger says.  "He gave the Friends of the Library the first $100,000 of seed money to start the library construction project.  That made us able to go to other donors and say 'we have the seed money and the project is definitely viable debt free.'  He's given us member items over the years to improve our story Time, to help us fix the front steps and do various small construction projects and to put in a teren room downstairs.  He's gone above and beyond for our library."



Those projects helped the library get its permanent charter, which Gutenberger says will make LCL eligible for even more grants and state funding.

"The permanent charter is very important to us because it opens us up to be able to go for state and Federal grants for construction or projects that need to get done, and grants for things like Story Time and Summer Reading," she says.  "We now have a beautiful Story Time Rug that seats 36 children and lots of extra craft material.  It means the library has grown exponentially and our services have expanded and the State believes that we are meeting the needs of the community.  It's been great to be able to get that through so quickly."

Gutenberger and Franco showed Nozzolio a new Teens Room, the latest project to be realized with money he brought to the library.  The room contains a collection of teen books as well as SAT and ACT preparation books.

Nozzolio says there will be future opportunities for funding from the State.

"With the charter Lansing will be able to take more advantage of the funding streams from the State for additional support," he says.  "I will certainly do all I can to enhance additional projects here.  I have been so pleased at how the community has embraced this facility and to see so many young people engage on a Saturday.  To see them enjoy this facility is heartwarming."

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